


Knock me down, brother

by Beleriandings



Category: The Silmarillion and other histories of Middle-Earth - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-14
Updated: 2014-11-14
Packaged: 2018-02-25 09:52:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 762
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2617502
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Beleriandings/pseuds/Beleriandings
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Maglor and Maedhros have been arguing again, and Elros and Elrond want to help them reconcile.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Knock me down, brother

"Elros? What are you - "

"Shh!" hissed Elros, who was peering cautiously around the stair rail, down into the the hallway below. 

Elrond came up behind his brother, puzzled, trying to look over his shoulder whilst clinging precariously to the railing. “What’s going on down there?” he whispered. “What are you looking at?” 

"Maglor" said Elros, nodding down the stairs. As if on cue, Maglor appeared, hurrying into view and running his fingers through his tangled hair distractedly, before turning about on his heel and pacing to the other side of the room.

"Did he and Maedhros argue again?" asked Elrond softly. 

Elros nodded, making a face. “I wish you’d been there, you’re miles better at understanding Quenya spoken all fast and angry like they do, but they were definitely arguing over something.” He looked glumly down at Maglor once more, who was balling his hands into fists as he paced. “I think it’s their Oath.”

Elrond nodded solemnly. “And Maedhros?”

"Come on, I’ll show you."

Elros led Elrond up the tower spiral, and the two of them peered out onto the wallwalk, the cold wind biting at their faces. Out on the walls stood Maedhros, wrapped in a woollen cloak, his loose copper hair streaming out behind him. His head was bowed, his eyes closed, and he pinched the bridge of his nose, frowning deeply. He stood utterly motionless as they watched, like a statue carven of stone, but there seemed to be tension in every line of his body.

"He goes up here sometimes" said Elros. "When they argue. When they’re both too proud to talk to each other again."

"They’ve done this before?"

Elros shrugged. “Once or twice” he said. “You’re usually too absorbed in the books and scrolls in the library to notice, but they do. Everyone thinks I’m too stupid to notice - “

"You’re not stupid, Elros!"

"Ssh, listen. I’ve seen them before. They’re both too proud to talk to each other again, like that time you broke my little wooden horse, remember?"

Elrond did. “I said I was sorry” he said uncomfortably. 

"And I hit you" said Elros, shuffling his feet. "I didn’t mean to, I was just angry. The point is, we didn’t talk to each other, for the entire day."

"But we did later."

"Exactly. We couldn’t exactly not, could we? But it still hurt, all the same." He nodded at Maedhros on the wallwalk. "That’s what they’re doing too."

"I don’t think either of them broke the other’s wooden horse" said Elrond doubtfully. He always found it hard to imagine either Maedhros or Maglor ever being children who played with toys, much less brothers just like himself and Elros, who argued and hurt each other and loved each other all the same. 

"Don’t be stupid" sniffed Elros. "The point is, they’re sad and angry because they’re not talking. But each is too proud to go talk to the other first, so neither of them does anything, and they just keep being sad."

Elrond thought about this for a moment. “So? What are we going to do?”

Elros grinned. “Enjoy the chance to punch me, El. You’ll never get another one.”

———

Maglor ran up the stairs, taking them two at a time. He seized Elrond by the collar and pulling his off his brother, even as Maedhros came in and lifted Elros. 

"What is the meaning of this?" Maglor demanded, as Elrond lashed out at his brother again. Maglor managed to catch the blow before it landed, holding Elrond’s wrist firmly for a moment before releasing him with a raised eyebrow. 

The two children glared at each other, while Maglor resolutely avoided Maedhros’ gaze. “What happened here?” said Maglor, when no one spoke. Elros was staring sullenly at the ground, while Elrond cast Maedhros a wary glance.

"Elrond? Elros?"

"Elrond hit me."

"That’s not true!"

"Is too!"

"Elros said I was boring. He said I read all day and never do anything fun. I didn’t mean to hit him, but - "

"No, Elrond. No buts. You should not be fighting with your brother." Maedhros’ voice was quiet, flat, but powerful, the kind of tone that would have made even Maglor quail, once. That still would, if he let it. 

Elros turned and looked straight at Maedhros, a hint of shrewdness crossing his small face for a moment. “No, he’s right Elrond. We shouldn’t.” He looked straight at Maglor. “Isn’t that right?”

Maglor narrowed his eyes, thinking. “Yes” he said at last, before looking straight at Maedhros, meeting his eyes with an apologetic, exhausted sigh. “Yes, that’s right.”


End file.
